Judiciaries in Peril

Spotlight Webinar Series: ‘Judiciaries In Peril In Central & Eastern Europe’

In November 2020, the CEELI Institute launched a new Spotlight Series of Webinars on the topic: ‘Judiciaries in Peril in Central & Eastern Europe.’ Each episode in the series shines a spotlight on pressing issues challenging the judiciary in key countries of the region, including Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Montenegro, and Ukraine. Each session explores the challenges faced in a particular country that undermine and imperil that nation’s judiciary, answering questions including:

 

  • What is the nature of governmental attacks on the courts and their independence?
  • What is behind current attacks on the judiciary?
  • How do these attacks threaten judicial independence?
  • Are there any solutions or remedies?

Past Sessions

Judiciary In Peril: Hungary Case Study

10 June 2021, 4pm CEST

 

This session shines a spotlight on the judiciary in Hungary, outlining the challenges being faced since the judicial reform of 2012. The conversation will be led by Andras Kadar, Co-Chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee; Judge Viktor Vadász, a member of the National Judicial Council; and Agnes Kovács, Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Rights and Politics at ELTE University (Budapest).

 

This Spotlight webinar will be held via Zoom with simultaneous translation available in English and Hungarian.

Speakers

Judge Viktor Vadász

Andras Kadar

Professor Agnes Kovács

Judiciary In Peril: Ukraine Case Study

27 May 2021, 5pm CEST

 

In this fifth webinar session, we will shine a spotlight on the judiciary in Ukraine. The conversation will be led by Mykhailo Zhernakov, Head of Board, DEJURE Foundation, Judge Markiyan Halabala from the High Anti-Corruption Court, and Yevheniia Motorevska, Journalist and Producer Slidstvo.Info.

 

This Spotlight webinar will be held via Zoom and available in English and Ukrainian.

Speakers

Judge Markiyan Halabala

Mykhailo Zhernakov

Yevheniia Motorevska

Judiciary In Peril: Romania Case Study

Monday, 8 March 2021

 

Our fourth session shined a spotlight on Romania’s judiciary, outlining the particular challenges facing that country’s judges. The conversation was led by Laura Ștefan, Executive Director Expert Forum, Chairperson of the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative Secretariat, a former director in the Romanian Ministry of Justice; Ramona Strugariu, Member of the European Parliament; and Judge Andrea Chiș, Judge at Cluj Appellate Court, and member of the Romanian Superior Council of Magistracy.

 

The Spotlight series was held via Zoom and will soon be made available here in English and Romanian.

 

Speakers

Ramona Strugariu

Andrea Chis

Laura Ștefan

Judiciary In Peril: Montenegro Case Study

Tuesday,  26 January 2021

 

Our third session shines a spotlight on Montenegro’s judiciary, outlining the particular challenges facing that country’s judges. The conversation will be led by Mirza Ademovic (Judge in Podgorica Basic Court), Marijana Lakovic-Draskovic, Former Director of Minister of Justice, and Ivan Vukcevic (Project Coordinator for CeMI).

 

The Spotlight series will be held via Zoom and available in English and Montenegrin.

 

Speakers

Marijana Lakovic-Draskovic

Mirza Ademovic

Ivan Vukcevic

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

 

The second webinar session in this series spotlights the judiciary in Poland and outlines the peril it faces. The conversation was led by Krystian Markiewicz, President of Iustitia; Michał Wawrykiewicz, Wolne Sądy; and Malgorzata Szuleka, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowiek.

 

 

Speakers

Michal Wawrykiewicz

Małgorzata Szuleka

Krystian Markiewicz

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

 

The premier session in this series shines a spotlight on the judiciary in Bulgaria, outlining how that judiciary is in peril and the particular challenges facing it. The conversation was led by Judge Kalin Kalpakchiev, Head of the Bulgarian Judges Association, and Bilyana Wegertseder, Director of Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives (BILI Foundation).

 

 

Speakers

Bilyana Wegertseder

Kalin Kalpakchiev

Series Information – English

Информация за поредицата – български

Informacje Series – Polski

Central & Eastern European Judicial Exchange Network

 

The CEELI Institute’s Central and Eastern European Judicial Network, now in its eighth year, is comprised of some of the best and brightest rising judges from eighteen countries who gather regularly to share best practices on issues of judicial independence, integrity, accountability, and court management. As international in-person meetings are likely to be limited for some time to come, the Spotlight Series ensures that the Network can continue to meet its mandate to promote judicial independence, and improve judicial integrity and court efficiency in Central and Eastern Europe, despite the global lockdowns resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.